Texans running back Arian Foster will miss a lot more football than just today's game against the Cardinals. According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Foster will undergo back surgery, likely on Wednesday or Thursday, and be placed on season-ending injured reserve. Foster is apparently dealing with a disc issue in the lumbar region of his back.

Fantasy Analysis:

Thus ends a disappointing but not unexpected injury-plagued year for Foster. He was a top-three pick in many fantasy drafts during the summer, but his stock began to drop as his nagging back and hamstring injuries refused to go away as the season approached. Foster had a stretch from Weeks 4-6 where he averaged 162.3 yards from scrimmage per game, and everything seemed fine. Then his hamstring issues popped up in Week 7, and his back limited him to just two snaps last week. Foster's massive workload from 2010-12 -- more than 1,100 total touches -- has taken quite a toll on him. He will turn 28 prior to next season, and it's possible that he will never be the same.
In the short term, Ben Tate will take over as Houston's featured running back, but he will do so with four cracked ribs. He is an RB2 today against a tough Cardinals run defense. Dennis Johnson is now the Texans' second running back and is worth owning in all but the shallowest of leagues.